ROLE
MODEL

"The
Lady With A Big Heart"

When
she was still in the prime of her health, Mrs. Leticia Gonzales-Tenazas, was a
big asset and live wire in all the organizations that she was in.She was always in full support to whatever projects or activities were
being undertaken by the organizations not only in terms of time and energy but
in logistics as well.That’s the
reason why she was well-loved and respected by her peers.She was not only dedicated to the service of the organization but she’s
a lady with a big heart.

This
is proven by the many well-wishers who troop to her residence every year to
greet her on her birthday from early morning until night.

A
workaholic, Letty as she is fondly called by her family and friends, could
manage to get involved in the various civic and humanitarian activities of her
different organizations despite the fact that she had a family business to
attend to.

In
fact, she has been the treasurer of Damayan-Buluseño, Inc. since its formation
in 1981 up to now.Although, due to
her semi-paralyzed body, she has an assistant to do the job for her until her
term of office officially expires in 2004.

During
the eighties until the mid-nineties, while serving as treasurer of DBI, she held
the same position also at the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) of St. Francis
Parish in Paco, Manila and the Philippine Organization of Private Employment
Agencies (POPEA) where her agency, the Mutual Employment Agency, is a member.For four years, she was the Regent of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI)
of Intramuros, Manila and became the Hermana of the Manila Cathedral.

In
all these organizations, Letty had contributed a lot to the success of their
projects.Mr. Rogelio F. Fuentes,
DBI President, who had been with her since the start of the association said
that without her, Damayan-Buluseño would not have attained the stature that it
has now.

She
was instrumental in getting the approval of the Rector of the Manila Cathedral
for its use in the monthly mass for the Buluseños from 1981 until 1996 and the
Knights of Columbus from 1997 up to now.

According
to Mr. Fuentes, what made him admire her was her readiness to voluntarily shell
out her own money whenever the association ran short of funds just to be able to
pursue a particular project. Whenever the association holds its fiesta and
Christmas celebrations, she wanted lively and colorful presentations like song
and dance numbers.To realize this,
she would hire an instructor and dressmaker for the rehearsals and attire of the
participants.She also commissioned
a composer for the Damayan-Buluseño Hymn and the song “Bulusan, Bulusan”.

In
the early years of the scholarship program of the association, when she felt
that the allowance from the sponsors would not be enough for the scholars for
every semester, she offered to take care of them until they finish their
studies.

When
the association was looking for a venue for its headquarters, she offered her
office where she also served food for the officers during their monthly
meetings. It is also where the members of the choir have been holding their
monthly rehearsals with free dinner courtesy again of Mrs. Tenazas.

Knowing
that the yearly civic action in Bulusan is meant for the poor, she never missed
to give her contribution for the purchase of medicines. In the last CIVAC, she
donated a substantial amount to augment the stock of medicines of the
association.She also gave always
her donations for the various contests in the Damayan homecoming.And back home, she never failed to bring gifts for her friends and
indigent Buluseños.

To
help raise funds for the association, she placed an advertisement of her agency
in the bi-monthly issue of the Damayan-Buluseño Gazette.

In
her other organizations, she also spearheaded in the distribution of foods and
used clothing to poor families in the slum areas in Manila, giving monetary
support to the families of prisoners and medical treatment to street children.

Letty
is the fifth of the ten children of the late couple, Cirilo Gonzales, Sr. and
Marcelina Bailon of Barangay San Isidro but later moved to Barangay Sabang,
Bulusan.

A
consistent honor student, she finished her course in education from the
Philippine Normal College where she was immediately assigned as assistant to the
dean of the Home Economics Department.

In
1950, she got married to ship Captain Jose Tenazas, Sr. whom she met while on
board the vessel Perla en route to Bulan, Sorsogon from Manila.Together, they put up the Mutual Employment Agency on V. Mapa St., Sta.
Mesa, Manila.

Unfortunately,
22 years after their marriage, Capt. Tenazas succumbed to cardiac arrest leaving
behind under her care four children: Lulu or Baby who is now in the US; Jose,
Jr. or Boy who manages their employment agency; Jimenez or Jimmy, an accountant
in a company in the US; and Cirilo II or Nono, a retired casino supervisor who
now operates their agency branch in Pasig City.

To
her well-off friends and other people who are puzzled by her exertion of much
effort in various charitable activities, she has this ready explanation.According to her, she believes that everything she has comes from God.She could not ask for more.Her
children are able and her business has been doing well which she owes much to
God.To appreciate all His goodness
is to share what she has with those who are not as fortunate as she is.

Mr.
Fuentes has very high regards for her.On
many occasions, he said that if only the many well-placed people around would
have the same kind of wisdom as Mrs. Tenazas has, we will have a very peaceful
community where no one would think of going up the hills to fight against the
government and our society.